Cigar-lighter.



'M'. J. MOANENY.

CIGAR LIGHTER.

APPLIOATION FILED 83147.30, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENT oFFIoE.

MICHAEL J. MOANENY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIG'NOR '10 HANDILITE MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

CIGAR-LIGHTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed September 30, 1912. Serial No. 723,257.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. Mo- ANENY, of. St. Louis, in the State of Missour,i,-have invented a certain new and use- .fulfImp'rovement in Cigar-Lighters, and

dojhereby "declare that the following is a ,full, clear,- and exact description thereof.

object of my invention is to provide a portable self-contained flame-producing deviC.,.;.;rcigar-lighting, which Wlll be simple'in-"construction and dependable for the production of the. flame, and which will be as hereinafter specified andclaimed.

In; the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a cigar lighter I embodyingflrny invention; Fig. 2 a side elevation thercofy -Fig. 3 a vertical section. Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation of the wickholder and snuifer; Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of certain of the actuating devicesfor producing the spark, separated from each other.

In the form in which my invention is shown as embodied, the base or support is inthe form of a circular tray or dish 10, for receiving cigar ashes, from the center of which rises an oblong box 11 which is hollow to form a receptacle for some readily inflammable fiuid,.such as alcohol, or gasolene, and which at its top has a Wick tube 12 throu h which extends the necessary wick 13 t at leads from within the box 11.

Contiguous to the wick tube is an ignitingspark producing device in the form of an a rading wheel: or disk and a plug of pyrophorus alloy that bears against the edge of the diskso that by turning the latter sparks will be produced and projected over the exposed. top of the wick. 1 The disk or wheel 14 is mounted loose on theupper end ofa vertical shaft 15 which is journaled in a bracket 16 upon one side of the box 11,

and upon its underside said-disk has ratchet teeth 17 adapted to be en aged by ratchet teeth 18 on a collar .19 sli ably and rotatably fastened to the shaft 15 by a in 20 which passes diametrically throug the shaft and at its ends engages vertical slots 21 in the collar. A spring 22 is placed around the shaft between the underside of the collar and the top of the bracket that yieldingly holds the ratchet teeth in engagement and permits the teeth to slip past each other when the shaft turns in one direction, so as not to revolve the disk, while compelling their engagement when the shaft turns 1n the opposite direction and causing the disk to turn. Thus, sparks are prr duced only when the shaft turns in one direction which is the one required to throw sparks over the wick, and there is no needless production. of sparks and waste of the alloy.

On the shaft 15 just below the top of the bracket, is fixed a collar 23 having a radial finger 24 adapted to be engaged by the upper end of an operating lever 25 which is,

pivoted upon a shaft 26 supported by lugs 27 on the box 11, so that when the lever is moved by pressingits lower portion toward the box 11, the finger 24: being engaged by the upper end of the lever will be moved and thus the shaft 15 partially turned, until by the continued movement of lever and finger they pass out of engagement, and then the shaft is revolved in the reverse direction by the action of a spring 28 coiled thereaboutwith its lower end-fixed to the bracket 16 and its upper end attached to the collar 23. It is on the return movement of the shaft, by the action' of the spring, that the disk is turned to produce the spark, the spring causing the rapid turning of the disk required for thepurpose. The lever is thus'a spring winding and releasing device. v

The plug 29 of pyrophorus alloy or other spark producing medium, is mounted in a horizontal tube 30 carried by an extension of the bracket 16 with one end contiguous to the disk periphery and its other end closed by a screw cap 31, between which and the outer end of the plug is a coiledspring 32 b which a gentle pressure is maintaine on t e plug to keep it in proper engagement with the abrading disk. The cap 31 provides adjustment to compensate for the natural wear of the plug.

The 0 crating lever, after being moved for a lig ting operation,'is returned to its former position by a sprin 33 havinga coil about the lever shaft or ivot 26, with one arm held stationary and the other engaging the lever, and in order that the lever end may pass in the rear of the finger 23 to en- A snufier to extinguish the light is provided that consists of a hood 34 pivoted to one side of the Wick tube, and having a curved slotted crank arm 35 the slot of which is engaged by a pin or stud 36 on the operating lever so that when the latter is moved to wind the spring to produce the spark, the hood is "swung back from over the wick, and when the operatin lever is released, the hood is automatical y swung over the wick, and snufi's out the light.

The base 10, gives such stability to the device that it is properly supported in an upright position, andyet lIhSlZG as well as general appearance, the lighter is practically like the ordinary match stand and tray commonly used in public dining rooms, but

. I do not limit myself to such a form.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is- 1. A self-contained lighter, comprising a base, a receptacle for an inflammable fluid supported by the base, and having a'wick opening, a spark producing mechanism including a disk, a vertical shaft on which the disk is mounted, a. spring acting to turn said shaft in one direction,a finger connected With the shaft, and a laterally movable lever coacting with said finger, said lever extending alongside of the shaft and being pivoted between its ends so as to provide on one side of its pivot a portion to engage said finger and to provide on the other side of said pivot a hand-engaging member.

2. A: self-contained lighter, comprising a base, a receptacle for an inflammable fluid supported by the base, and having a wick opening, a spark producing mechanism including a disk, a vertical shaft on which the disk is mounted, a spring acting to turn said shaft in one direction, a finger connected with the shaft, a late-rally movable lever coa'cting with said finger, said lever extending alongside of the shaft and being pivoted between its ends so as to provide on one side of its pivot a portion to engage said finger and to provide on the other side ofsaid pivot a hand-engaging member, a snuffer pivotedadjacent the wick opening, and a pin and slot connection between the snuffer and said lever.

3. The combination of a receptacle for an inflammable fluid having a wick opening, a bracket at the side of said receptacle,a shaft having hearings in said bracket, a coil spring on said shaft between the bracket bearings, a collar on the shaft engaged by said spring at one end thereof, a lever extending alongside of the shaft and the spring and pivoted between its ends to the receptacle, said lever having a'finger engaging portion at one side of its pivot, and a handle-formingportion on the other side thereof, and a rotating spark-producing de- 1 vice actuated by the shaft.

4-. The combination of a receptacle for an inflammable fluid having a wick opening, a 1

vertical shaft, bearings for the shaft on the side of the receptacle, a rotary spark producing device actuated by the shaft and situated at the upper end thereof, a radial finger on the shaft, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on a horizontal axis and extending alongside of the shaft and engaging said finger at its upper end and having a handle formingportion below its pivot, a shaft rotating spring which is placed under operating tension by the movement of the lever when the handle forming portion thereof is pressed toward the receptacle when the latter and the lever. are grasped by the hand, a snuifer pivoted to the receptacle, and means whereby the snuifer is swung upon its pivot.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have-hereunto set my hand.

ICHAEL; MCAn NY.

rocked upon its pivot when the lever is 

